Joshua Ethan Schramm

It is with tremendous heartbreak that we announce the passing of our beloved Joshua Ethan Schramm, our sweet son, brother, partner, friend, grandson, uncle, nephew, and cousin. Joshua was 23 when he passed away on October 28th, 2023 in Ellijay, GA. 

Joshua was born on January 19th, 2000 in Jasper, GA to Thomas and Tracy Schramm. He moved to Ellijay, GA at a young age where he grew up and lived the remainder of his life. He attended a private christian school for many years, then continued his education through homeschooling with many tutors, including his grandparents and his favorite former teacher. The culmination of this education led to Joshua receiving his General Education Diploma in 2019. 

Joshua loved without condition. He had a truly empathetic soul and a loving spirit, the depths of his kind nature were apparent to anyone who knew him. In turn, he had such a gift to see and accept people for exactly who they were. He was able to see through all the noise and unfairness in life and still love each person all the way through. This was one of Josh’s most beautiful traits. He was the calm, grounded presence in any room, fully absorbing each moment. Because he was a listener at his core, he commanded that much more attention when he chose to speak. He was never afraid to be vocal about the things he was most passionate about. 

Joshua was a man of exquisite taste and appreciated the finer things in life. He had an eye for fashion and an affinity for great shoes. Though his wardrobe made a big statement, his hair was by far his best and most defining physical attribute. You often saw his hair coming before you saw him. Whether it was shorter with soft curls, or completely fro’d out, Josh’s hair was one-of-a-kind. 

Joshua had a love for collecting different items since he was a little boy, from toy cars and trains, rare coins, pins, and shoes. He was an excellent gamer as well as a skilled athlete, excelling in skateboarding, swimming, and snowboarding. He spent much of his childhood and teen years at the skatepark, and enjoyed annual family trips to snowboard in North Carolina. 

Joshua’s relationships with his friends were just as important to him as any other. Growing up, his friends became a second family and an unwavering support system. They would take frequent trips to the lake, and enjoyed group vacations to the beach and mountains. They spent most of their time together in Josh’s home developing strong bonds as they grew together. 

Joshua’s energy was gentle, yet contagious. He had such a silly, lighthearted sense of humor and watching him laugh uncontrollably was one of the best memories we’ll ever have. He was a perfect gentleman, honest, grateful, truly good, and most of all, he cared deeply for the people in his life, his family, his friends and his precious animals. His beautiful partner, Brelyn and his husky, Roxy, were the loves of his life, and he was theirs. 

Joshua is preceded in death by his grandfathers, Charles Schramm and Harry Grow, grandmother, Barbara Grow, and uncle, Scott Grow. He is survived by his parents, Thomas Schramm and Tracy Grow; his beloved girlfriend and partner, Brelyn Howard; his siblings, Emmanuella (Tyler), Christina, Anna (Mike), Kristen, Rebekah, Jacob, Jessica (McCabe), Bethany, and Sarah; and his grandmother, Marilyn Schramm. He is also survived by his nephew, DeAndre, nieces, Willa and Penelope, and multiple aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

Joshua was beautiful. He was immensely loved by every person in his life, and we feel so privileged to have had his light with us for the time that we did. As long as we continue to think of him, speak his name out loud, and emulate the kindness Josh embodied, he will always be. 

A memorial service for Joshua will be held at 3 pm on Sunday, November 19th, 2023 at the Victory Christian Center Community Room in Ellijay, GA - 208 Victory Cir, Ellijay, GA 30540. All are welcome to attend. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Boards for Bros, a non-profit organization that gives all kids a chance to have their very own first skateboard. Skateboarding gave Josh an outlet as a child and brought him some lifelong friends. We’d love to help others have the same opportunity. https://boards4bros.org/
Donate here.